Venetian blind



June 5, 1951 c. H. FRANKEL EI'AL VENETIAN BLIND 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1947 a I a T1, E E

?atented June 195i VENETIAN BLIND Charles H. Frankel and Irving M. Sondak, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Frason Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application November 13, 1947, Serial No. 785,750

2 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide Venetian blinds which are of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, yet of pleasing appearance, and which lend themselves admirably to eflicient mass production.

It is another object of the present invention to use colorfast and relatively thin and light plastic sheet material exclusively for the slat-supporting straps, the parts of which may efliciently be joined by the simple expediency of fusing them together.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for ready reinforcement of the plastic slat-supporting straps, to the end that their inherent tendency considerably to sag or expand in hot weather is effectively overcome.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a lowered Venetian blind embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same blind;

Fig. 3 is another front elevation of the blind in raised condition;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sections taken on the lines 55 and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 1; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line |l of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference numeral l0 designates a Venetian blind which comprises a top casing l2, a bottom rail l4, slat-supporting straps l6 and slats l8. As is customary in blinds of the Venetian type, the top casing I2 is suitably equipped for mounting on a window frame (not shown) and. the slat-supporting straps l6 are of the laddered construction shown in Fig. 2. Usually there are two spaced straps [6, each of which comprises opposite suspension bands 26 and a plurality of spaced cross bars or rungs 22 which span the suspension bands 20 and support the slats I8 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. As usual, the suspension bands 20 and cross bars 22 of each strap l6 are made of readily flexible material. The lower ends of the flexible suspension bands 20 of each strap [6 are suitably secured to the bottom rail l4, while the upper ends thereof are suitably secured to a slat-tilting mechanism 24 in the top casing 12. This mechanism may assume any conventional form and comprise, for instance, a relatively long roll 26 which. is journaled at its opposite ends 28 in suitable bearing brackets 30 in the top casing I2. In order to rock the roll 24 in either direction and accordingly tilt the slats IS, the former may be provided with a worm-gear segment 32 which is in permanent mesh with a worm 34 that ma also be journaled in the adjacent bearing bracket 30. Turnable with the worm 34 within the top casing 12 is a ulley 36 over which a cord 38 is passed. The free ends of the depending cord 38 are preferably provided with pulls 4|] for convenient manipulation of the cord 38. Thus, on manipulating the cord 38, the slats may be tilted into any desired relative disposition, through intermediation of the gear members 34 and 32, roll 26 and straps I6. The instant Venetian blind may also be raised into the disposition shown in Fig. 3. To this end, there is provided a pull cord 42 which is preferably doubled-back as at 44 and passed at 46 through the overlying slats IB (Fig. 1) which are to that end apertured at 41 (Figs. 4 and 6). The

free ends of the pull cord 42 are suitably secured to the bottom rail l4. The portions 46' of the cord 42 which pass overhead to the slats [8 are guided over pulleys or rolls 48, 50, 52 and 54, that are suitably journaled in the top casing 12. The cord portions 46 passing through the overlying slats I8 are preferably located within the confines of the straps l6, respectively, so as to be hidden from view as much as possible. The sus pension bands 20 of the straps 46 and the cords 38 and 42 pass into and from the top casing I2 through suitabl openings in the latter (not shown). entirely conventional in construction.

The suspension bands 20 and cross bars 22 of each slat-supporting strap I 6 are made of any to the adjacent suspension bands 20 by being (3011-.

veniently fused to the same by the Well-known application of heat or a solvent.

The instant suspension bands 26 and cross bars 22 of each strap 16, being made of plastic sheet material which is inherently colorfast,

The Venetian blind so far described isare likewise colorfast when exposed to artificial or sun light, and may also be made extremely thin so that little space is taken up by the cross bars 22 between the slats l8 when the blind is raised as shown in Fig. 3. In the raised blind, the suspension bands 20 of each strip [6 fold or loop outwardly as at 62 in the same manner in which the suspension bands of the slat-supporting straps of any conventional raised blind fold or loop. Also the plastic straps [6 may readily and conveniently be cleaned directly on the mounted blind by the mere use of a damp rag or soap and water, for instance. The suspension bands 20 and cross bars 22 of each strap [6 may furthermore be leftwith raw edges and nevertheless have a sightly appearance. This latter factor, coupled with the attachment of the cross bars 22 to the associated suspension bands 2i! of each strap I6, make for utmost simplicity in the manufacture of these straps I6 which is naturally favorably reflected in the cost of the blind,

Plastic sheet material suitable for the instant slat-supporting straps It has a tendency to expand orelongate noticeably, not so much under load as at varying temperature. Thus, the opposite bands 20 of each strap 16 may show a noticeable difference in their elongation if subjected to different temperatures, as when the sun strikes only those bands 20 which are nearest a window, or when the bands farthest removed from a cold window are subjected to greater heat from a room radiator, for instance, than the bands nearest the window, for instance. To overcome this single disadvantage, the plastic straps l6, and particularly the suspension bands 20 thereof, are reinforced to prevent their expansion or elongation. To this end, recourse is had to any suitable threads in which are substantially inextensible or inexpansible and have considerable tensilestrength. Ideal threads for thispurpose are nylon threads, for instance. The reinforcement threads H3 extend along and substantially throughout the lengths of the suspension bands 20, respectively, of each strap I 6 and are suitably secured thereto, preferably at recurrent spaced intervals so that even a break in one of the threads will have no noticeable adverse effect on the corresponding reinforced band 20. In the present instance, there are attached to each suspension band 20 of a strap [6 two separate threads (Fig. 4) which are aligned with the adjacent end tabs 60 of the two columns of superposed cross bars 22, respectively, and are secured to the band 20 at recurrent spaced intervals by extending through the fused joints between said band and the adjacent end tabs 60 of the cross bars 22 (Fig. 7). The threads 10 run, in the present instance, uninterruptedly along the entire length of each suspension band 20. The threads 19 thus secured to the suspension bands 29 of each strap l6 effectively prevent noticeable longitudinal extension or expansion of the slat-supporting straps l6 even in the hottest weather. Furthermore, the preferred nylon threads have considerable tensile strength which is added to that of the suspension bands 20 of each strap l6. Moreover, the preferred nylon threads are not readily chafed by a slat or slats, should the lat- 4 ter occasionally come in contact with these threads when the blind is raised as in Fig. 3. Also, breakage of a reinforcement thread 10 anywhere between recurring anchorage points thereof on a suspension band 2!! is even less consequential since there are two reinforcement threads 10 placed along each suspension band 20.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a Venetian blind having'a plurality of slats and an overhead support, spaced laddered slat-supporting straps suspended from said support, each strap comprising relatively thin spaced flexible plastic suspension bands, flexible slat-supporting rungs of plastic sheeting bridging said bands at recurrent intervals longitudinally thereof and having their opposite ends fused to said bands, respectively, said rungs being of less width than either band and being staggered so as to form spaced columns of superposed rungs longitudinally of said bands, and a pair of substantially inexpansible laterally spaced threads extending externally along and substantially throughout the length of each band and being secured to the latter at recurrent intervals, said threads being disposed between the band and the rung ends fused there- .2. In a Venetian blind having a plurality of slats and an overhead support, spaced laddered slat-supporting straps suspended from said support, each strap comprising relatively thin spaced flexible plastic suspension bands, flexible slat-supporting rungs of plastic sheeting bridging said bands at recurrent intervals longitudinally thereof and having their opposite ends.

fused to said bands, respectively, said rungs being of less width than either band and being staggered so as to form spaced columns of superposed rungs longitudinally of said bands, and a pair of substantially inexpansible laterally spaced nylon threads extending externally along and substantially throughout the length of each band and being secured to the latter at recurrent intervals, said nylon threads being disposed between the band and the rung ends fused thereto.

CHARLES H. FRANKEL.

IRVING M. SONDAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of. record in me file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

